Looking for opinions..

NedRN · Jun 20, 2014

Well you don't need trauma or peds to be an ER traveler, perhaps not even OBGYN. But you certainly won't be 3:1 anywhere outside major trauma. So you have to wonder if your skills will translate. Is there another hospital within say a two hour drive from you you can pick up some per diem shifts? That is a great way to learn cheap if you have what it will take to be a successful traveler. If that doesn't go well, perhaps you should seek out a different staff job that will give you the necessary skills.

In the meantime, you might want to do aging ER nurses that read this a favor by naming this great retirement spa you work at!

texasangelED-RN · Jun 20, 2014

NedRN,

I think that is what I worry about the most! The 3:1 ratio. When we have been 4:1 I can handle my load fine, but still believe I would benefit from trying out another hospital with a quicker pace. I have several nearby that would offer what I am looking for, so I guess why not take a shot at it!?

I didn't realize how much of a "retirement" vibe my ED has until recently. Maybe the fact that most of the nurses have been there 15+ years and never seem to leave should have been a hint ?

Thanks for the reply!

trackhead, APRN · Jun 20, 2014

I've been travelling for a while, and have worked agency at 40+ ER's. 3:1 is nice, slightly rare, but not unheard of in the travelling world. I just finished an assignment in a level II ED in Palm Springs that was frequently 3:1. What's more important than just patient ratio is overall help. You can be 3:1 and get your but kicked because there are no techs, no other nurses to help, etc. Or, you can be 4:1 and have super sick patients, but it's no big deal because maybe you have a tech to start an IV every now and then, or someone to do an EKG, or a foley, or take your patient to the floor. That means far more than patient ratio, the ancillary help you have.

I agree with NedRN, OB and Peds experience in travelling isn't that big of a deal. Since I've started travelling, I rarely see peds, and OB-GYN patients are super basic anyway. Set up for a pelvic, assist the doc, not much else to know. Maybe the occasional fetal heart tones, or hyperemesis patient. Unless you're in a peds ER, most of your peds patients won't be that sick, and then it's just IV skills, which aren't much different than adults.

BTW: What hospital do you work at in Texas, so I can go there this winter;)

Get another year, maybe moonlight somewhere else for extra experience (save all that money, don't spend it), then start travelling. But make sure you have a good 1-2 months income of savings in the bank before you quit your job, that extra cushion makes travelling much less stressful, in the event that your contract goes south, or some other unforeseen circumstance happens. Be smart, don't start travelling without a chunk of cash in the bank.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jun 21, 2014

I agree with the don't start traveling without a chunk of cash in the bank. Halfway through my first travel assignment, I got shingles and couldn't work for two weeks. The agency didn't pay me, of course, and wanted money for the apartment I was living in. Fortunately, I was traveling with my husband, and each of us had a contract that specified "private housing." Since we were sharing an apartment, I got to live with him and the travel company couldn't evict me.

texasangelED-RN · Jun 22, 2014

Thank you for the replies guys!

I've accepted a staff nurse position at a level I trauma center right down the road from where I currently work. I'm excited to start seeing some different things and gain more experience that I can take on the road next year! Oh and little pay raise didn't hurt either ;-)

I will certainly not be traveling without a good chuck of cash saved...ending up across the country with a cancelled contract sounds like a nightmare! I'll be as prepared as possible, thanks in big part to this forum!

Thanks again!

??? Loving It ???